SWR: Chapter 1197/1200

Chapter 1197: Divide Leeds United

West side of Hyde Park, London.

Mayfair is a world-famous wealthy area that attracts countless rich people from around the world. Many renowned international companies have also chosen to establish themselves there. Every inch of land is worth a fortune.

However, what really made Mayfair capture the attention of football fans around the world was a decision made by Leeds United in the Premier League two years ago.

They rented a house in Mayfair, next to the City of London, as an office and officially established their London branch.

At that time, Leeds United had just entered the Champions League, full of ambition and momentum. This move took everyone by surprise.

Could it be that Leeds United planned to relocate to London?

That would be shocking, since there were already enough football clubs in the capital.

Soon after, Leeds United clarified that they were not moving south, but merely setting up a southern office in London.

The reason was simple. Leeds United also had many fans in southern England. More importantly, the club was establishing a commercial operations department in London.

If you want to make money, you need experts who know how to make money, and you have to go where the money is.

London is undoubtedly the wealthiest place in the UK.

Leeds may be the financial center of the north, but London is the financial center of the world. The club's CEO at the time believed that this move would strengthen Leeds United's commercial power and support a global sponsorship strategy.

Fernando Lucas said that setting up an office in London would help the club attract new sponsors and manage its affairs in the capital more effectively.

After all, both the English Football Association and the Premier League headquarters are in London.

Over the past two years, Leeds United's commercial revenue has indeed grown rapidly.

But what really drew the public's attention was another remark from Lucas: "In accordance with common industry practice."

Only then did many fans realize, especially after the media expanded on the topic, that Leeds United was not the first northern club to open a London office.

As early as 2008, Manchester United became the first to move south. Initially, they only established a fan service office, but over time, most of their operations shifted there.

Today, only a few executive offices remain at Old Trafford. The only major department still based there is fan engagement, while nearly all other divisions have relocated to London.

Even player and coach signings are handled there.

For example, Sanchez's transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United was completed in London.

This has long been a sore spot for many loyal Red Devils fans.

They believe that ever since the move south, Manchester United has focused solely on commercial promotion and grown increasingly distant from its Manchester supporters.

This trend became even more apparent after Ed Woodward took over.

Coming from an investment banking background, he excelled in business but struggled with football matters.

Last season, despite heavy spending, the team was knocked out of the title race early, frustrating the fans.

Maguire for 100 million euros, Lukaku for 85 million euros, Sanchez joining for 34 million euros but disrupting the wage structure, and Matic for 45 million euros.

After spending more than 200 million euros in one summer, they still failed to contend for the league title. How could the fans accept that?

Moreover, Manchester United's transfer dealings in recent years, earning them the nickname "Price-Raising United," have made supporters even more dissatisfied and put great pressure on the management.

Ed Woodward was well aware of these issues. So, during the height of the summer transfer window, he invited Ferguson to the London headquarters to serve as an advisor.

…

"Mourinho has given very clear requirements. Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Mane, or Mbappé are all players we want. But after careful study, it's clear that it will be difficult to sign them all," said the head of the technical team, troubled by the fierce competition in the transfer market.

If matches on the pitch are wars without gunpowder, then the transfer market is the silent spy war before battle, full of hidden tension.

"First of all, we can rule out Mbappé. His agent has made it clear that the player only wants to go to Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid."

Ferguson sat quietly. When he heard this, he lifted his head slightly, scanning the room. The faces were mostly unfamiliar. This was no longer the Manchester United he once knew, and much was beyond his control now.

He lowered his head again and sighed inwardly.

When did Manchester United end up like this?

It seemed that Mbappé intended to stay at Leeds United and had no interest in joining Manchester United.

"We've analyzed the transfer market intelligence. Harry Kane and Dele Alli are both English players, attracting serious attention from Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool. Mane is also being pursued by many clubs, including Real Madrid and Bayern. They're all very interested in this left winger."

"We conducted a comprehensive assessment and found that Harry Kane's current market value is around 150 million euros. Leeds United's Rudolf Borrell said that Kane is not for sale, but later added that anyone wanting to sign him must set a record transfer fee."

"Preliminary estimates suggest that Leeds United are asking for 200 million euros."

The room erupted in surprise.

That was an astronomical figure.

"What does the finance department think?" asked Ed Woodward.

A middle-aged man in a suit stood up. "Although Sanchez's arrival has impacted our wage expenses, last year's total salaries were 300 million pounds. However, our operating income reached a record 590 million pounds. Overall, we're financially stable."

Ferguson's eyelids twitched. He silently cursed.

Outrageous.

To think that Sanchez, whom fans considered useless, could still generate such strong revenue growth.

If I'd had these financial resources back then, I'd have flown even higher.

Damn it, has this allowed Manchester City under Gao Shen to become even more dominant?

I miscalculated. I retired too early.

"Of course, based on our technical analysis, signing Harry Kane will be very difficult," said another member.

Two hundred million euros is about 180 million pounds.

"Can we negotiate the price with Leeds United?" Woodward asked.

The technical team fell silent.

In recent years, Manchester United had poached several players from Leeds United.

Four years ago at the World Cup, Leeds paid a large sum for De Vrij, who performed well. Later, Martial's transfer also cost a huge amount, but the young Frenchman initially lived up to expectations.

After that came Zaha and Maguire, both sold for high fees. Zaha was a Ferguson recommendation, while Maguire was among England's best center-backs. Neither deal was considered a failure.

Manchester United knew very well how tough Leeds United's negotiators were.

Even when the market wasn't booming, it was difficult to get a discount from them.

Ed Woodward looked somewhat helpless and turned to Ferguson. "Sir, what do you think?"

From the start, Ferguson had barely spoken or looked up, sitting motionless as though he were asleep.

Now, hearing Woodward's question, he finally stirred.

"Transfer business isn't about making a shopping list. You can't approach it like that," Ferguson said calmly.

Given his status, he didn't need to sugarcoat his words.

"Have you considered the team's actual needs right now? And the needs of our rivals?"

He paused before continuing. "Harry Kane is very popular, no doubt. He's won the World Cup Golden Boot, Best Domestic Player, and Top Scorer. His scoring rate has been consistent for years, and his ability is unquestionable. But is a center forward what we really need?"

"Or if we bring in Harry Kane, what happens to Lukaku?"

Everyone fell into deep thought.

From a commercial perspective, signing Harry Kane would make huge waves and spark global attention. It would be a massive boost for Manchester United's marketing, especially in the domestic market.

More importantly, it could ease tensions between management and fans.

But looking at the squad, with Lukaku already there, why sign Kane?

"Manchester City has Suarez, who is 31, and Jesus, who has been good but not enough. They'll be eager to sign Kane, and Soriano keeps backing Guardiola's requests."

"I'd say that if we compete with them at £200 million, we probably won't get him."

"There's also Mane. Liverpool and Chelsea both urgently need left wingers. Especially Chelsea, after missing the Champions League last season, they'll be even hungrier. Bayern have been looking for elite wingers for a while. Ribery is 35, his playing time is dropping, and they desperately need a top-level replacement."

Last summer, Bayern competed with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona for Felipe Anderson, which forced Barcelona to spend big and scared off Bayern and PSG.

"Our biggest problem now lies in midfield. I mentioned this to Mourinho before. We should strengthen there. Dele Alli is the best English midfielder I've seen in years. He has everything a top player needs," Ferguson suggested.

"But Chelsea are determined to get him too," said Woodward.

After Matic left for Manchester United, Chelsea's midfield weakened. They had to rely on Brozovic, Kovacic, and Fabregas, but it wasn't enough.

That was one key reason Chelsea failed to reach the Champions League last season.

Reports say that after Sarri took charge, he specifically named three targets: Kante, Alli, and Mane.

As for Harry Kane, Sarri reportedly felt that Giroud was sufficient.

In short, this summer, whether it's Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool—the three teams that qualified for the Champions League—or Chelsea and Arsenal, who missed out, they all share the same goal.

Divide Leeds United.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1198: Does This Kid Have Great Potential?

Big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp.

While Europe's top clubs were eager to carve up Leeds United, the White Rose continued to act like a skilled hunter, keenly searching the football world for young players that fit within their target range.

The players Leeds United looked to sign shared several common characteristics.

First, they were young, mostly between the ages of 15 and 20.

Because of their youth, their market value was still low.

Such transfers rarely attracted outside attention, and even Leeds United itself remained low-key. Many times, people only realized it when a young rookie suddenly broke through and shone for Leeds United.

In recent years, as Leeds United's reputation and global network have expanded, their methods of recruiting and developing young players have continued to evolve.

For example, two Brazilian talents, Vinicius and Rodrygo, were both signed early by Leeds United and then loaned back to Brazil because they were underage and could not yet transfer internationally.

However, this "buy first, loan back" approach also had drawbacks. The selling clubs often lacked motivation to train players who had already been sold.

To address this, Leeds United usually signed additional cooperation clauses, offering generous training fees to ensure the other club would make every effort to nurture the players.

And if the player underperformed or got injured, Leeds United would shoulder all the risks.

Because this system was built early on, along with a global scouting network and the massive player database at the AXA Center, Leeds United could access detailed player data anytime and anywhere, maintaining the most complete talent pool in world football.

This foundation gave Leeds United the confidence to continue selling players without fear of weakening the squad.

At the same time, with this structure and the support of departments such as the Methodology Division, Leeds United's annual salary expenses still reached 200 million pounds despite maintaining relatively low player wages.

For comparison, Tottenham Hotspur, with a similar wage control system, spent about 130 million pounds on salaries. The extra 70 million at Leeds United was invested in scouting, youth training, and long-term development.

This did not include the club's hardware, facility maintenance, or equipment costs.

But now, Leeds United's internal system had formed a sustainable and virtuous cycle.

Gao Shen was no longer deeply involved in transfers, as the team largely operated independently. He only gave input when he came across a particularly promising player.

Most of the time, the recruitment department conducted the investigations, drafted transfer lists, and then submitted them to Gao Shen for review.

For deals under 5 million euros, Fernando Lucas and Rodolfo Borrell made the decision, sent it to the finance department for approval, and finally to Su Qing.

Gao Shen would simply receive a report once the transfer succeeded or failed.

At this time, he was reviewing a new batch of transfer documents submitted by Leeds United.

…

During this summer transfer window, Leeds United had planned to sign ten young players but failed in four attempts, eventually landing six. Of these six, Gao Shen only recognized two names, and even then, his impression of them was faint.

Interestingly, both were center-backs from Saint-Étienne in Ligue 1.

One was 17-year-old William Saliba, who played for Saint-Étienne's youth team and had yet to appear for the first team. Leeds United signed the young French defender for 3 million euros.

The other was also 17-year-old Wesley Fofana, from Saint-Étienne's U19 squad.

Saliba at least played for the second team, but Fofana was still in the youth ranks last season. However, his performance had caught Leeds United's attention.

Like Saliba, Fofana's transfer fee was 3 million euros.

After signing both defenders, Leeds United loaned them back to Saint-Étienne for three years.

By the time they turned 20, if their development met Leeds United's expectations, the club would conduct a full evaluation and pay Saint-Étienne up to 7 million euros in bonuses.

In other words, Saint-Étienne could earn up to 20 million euros in total for the two center-backs.

For Leeds United, this was a safe arrangement. It ensured that both players received sufficient match experience, while Saint-Étienne bore less development risk. It was a win-win situation.

Of course, the specific details of the evaluation clauses were carefully negotiated between both clubs.

Even if Leeds United ended up paying 10 million euros per player, that sum was insignificant for a Premier League club, especially one like Leeds United.

After selling several defenders over the years, Leeds United's center-back reserves had thinned out.

Last year, they had tried to sign young Bordeaux defender Jules Koundé under similar terms, but negotiations failed. Now, after a solid season in Ligue 1, Koundé's market value had risen to 5 million euros.

Leeds United was used to such outcomes.

Some clubs accepted their development model, while others didn't. You couldn't force it.

With so many talented youngsters, it was impossible to sign them all.

Last year, Leeds United also tried to sign 18-year-old Konaté from Sochaux on a free transfer. However, RB Leipzig offered better terms, including a guaranteed first-team spot, so the player joined the Bundesliga club instead.

Leeds United, already boasting Van Dijk, Militao, De Ligt, and Ruben Dias, couldn't offer him the same opportunities. In the end, they had to give up.

It was an understandable but frustrating situation.

A similar case occurred with Vlahović, the young Serbian striker from Partizan Belgrade.

Leeds United had agreed with Red Star Belgrade to sign him for 2 million euros, but they could not promise him first-team minutes. Fiorentina took advantage of this, swooping in to complete the deal.

Such cases happened every year.

The current list Gao Shen was reading showed ten targets, but only six successful transfers. If any of the four failed targets became stars in the future, Leeds United would have missed out.

Still, no one paid attention to such things now. Just like few knew that Ibrahimović and Yaya Touré had once trialed at Arsenal, or that Kaka almost joined Real Madrid or Manchester United before going to AC Milan.

These stories only came to light after the players became famous.

Every club had its share of misjudgments.

Gao Shen remembered the two young Saint-Étienne defenders, as Fofana now played for Leicester City, and Saliba was struggling to break into Arsenal's first team.

But given that Leeds United's scouts rated them highly, they must have shown great promise.

Among the six players, one name stood out to Gao Shen.

A 16-year-old from Dinamo Zagreb's U17 squad in Croatia. He had just become eligible for an international transfer. Leeds United scouts had followed him for a long time, and even Borrell personally flew to Croatia to watch him play.

The transfer fee was modest, just 1 million euros after discussions with Dinamo Zagreb.

This time, however, Borrell chose not to loan him out but to bring him directly to Leeds United for training.

That was what caught Gao Shen's attention.

"Joško Gvardiol?" Gao Shen struggled to pronounce the unfamiliar name. No matter how he tried, it didn't sound right.

"Who is this kid? Does he have great potential?" he muttered.

Su Qing, who was standing nearby, shook her head. "I don't know."

She handled finances and had little involvement in scouting or recruitment.

"I'll ask Borrell or Modric about it later," Gao Shen said with a smile.

Modric, a Croatian legend from Dinamo Zagreb, might know something.

What intrigued Gao Shen most was Borrell's decision.

He knew his assistant well. Anyone whom Borrell valued that highly had to be extraordinary.

…

By the time Gao Shen reviewed the list, the transfers were already completed.

Leeds United's focus had shifted to player sales and summer training preparations.

Since Gao Shen first led Leeds United to sign a three-year contract with an American company for the International Champions Cup, the club had traveled to North America for three consecutive summers. These tours laid the foundation for Leeds United's rapid growth in the North American market.

Their soaring commercial revenue in recent years was closely tied to that expansion.

After three years in North America, the International Champions Cup expanded into China and Asia.

In the past two years, Leeds United had also toured those regions to develop their Asian fan base.

This year, according to the schedule, Leeds United would return to North America.

After a two-year absence, the club placed great importance on this trip.

Lucas and other staff had already departed in advance, while the team's summer camp was set in Miami, USA.

Except for players who had just played in the World Cup knockout stages, everyone else had returned to the team, including several who might transfer this summer. All would travel to the United States with the squad.

This North American squad included around 25 players. Since many internationals were still on break, several youth players were called up.

Events like the International Champions Cup not only gave elite teams a chance to compete but also served as a platform for major transfer negotiations.

Many significant deals were reached during this period.

Gao Shen and Su Qing had never been to the United States before, so they decided to join the team this time.

The only difference was that the team was there to train and compete, while they were there to travel and relax.

But who would have thought that the day after arriving in Miami, Gao Shen would receive a call from José Sánchez.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1199: Real Madrid, Don’t Follow Chelsea’s Lead

In a high-end restaurant in Miami, USA, Gao Shen, Lucas, and Borrell met with two senior executives from Real Madrid: CEO José Sánchez and Vice Chairman and Public Relations Director Emilio Butragueño.

Although it had not been long since they last met, this time Gao Shen was no longer the head coach of Real Madrid, which made the atmosphere somewhat bittersweet.

Sánchez and Butragueño, having grown used to Gao Shen's direct and efficient way of communicating as Real Madrid's head coach, now found it strange to sit across from him as a rival club's representative.

"Gao, how about you sit here?" joked José Sánchez, pointing to the seat at the head of the table.

Everyone burst out laughing.

Both Lucas and Borrell had worked at Real Madrid before and had been Gao Shen's assistants for years. They were very familiar with Sánchez and Butragueño. After all, the two executives had spent a lot of effort trying to convince Gao Shen to return to Real Madrid.

"Well, I'll let you all talk. I'm going to grab something to eat," Gao Shen said, standing up and leaving the room.

This gesture showed how much trust he had in Lucas and Borrell.

In truth, most of Leeds United's decisions were now handled by the two of them.

Although Gao Shen had withdrawn substantial funds from the club in recent years, he had also treated Lucas and Borrell very generously.

For example, their house in Cheshire was purchased by Su Qing as a gift.

Of course, this was mainly because there were many things the two men could not completely avoid being involved in.

Just like Leeds United's London office—Su Qing bought that property with club funds, but registered it under Gao Shen's name, then rented it to Leeds United at a high rate.

That entire process required the cooperation of Lucas and Borrell.

The two were not only capable but deeply loyal to Gao Shen, so he would never allow them to suffer any losses or disappointment.

The reason Gao Shen chose to avoid this meeting was that he already knew Real Madrid's intentions in talking to Lucas and Borrell.

Spanish media had reported earlier that Real Madrid wanted to sign Mbappé and Van Dijk.

But everyone knew that both players carried extremely high valuations.

Mbappé's estimated market value was around 150 million euros, but signing him for that amount was unrealistic.

Especially after his spectacular World Cup performance, any signing would create a global sensation.

Van Dijk, meanwhile, was arguably the best center-back in world football. Even calling him "one of the best" would be an understatement. His market value on Transfermarkt was listed at 100 million euros, but signing him for that price was wishful thinking.

More importantly, both players still had several years left on their contracts, leaving no room for rival clubs to exploit.

Because of this, Leeds United wasn't worried about private approaches from clubs like Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid. No matter how much they tried, they would ultimately have to negotiate directly with Leeds United.

…

Negotiations like these were rarely as intense as people imagined.

In movies, such scenes might look dramatic, but in reality, most high-level transfer talks were polite and calculated.

Both sides came to the table because they had a mutual interest. Each would test the other's bottom line with carefully chosen offers.

Still, everything depended on the circumstances.

Leeds United had refused to make any formal offer for Mbappé, while Real Madrid had gone as high as 180 million euros.

Of course, that offer included installments, as it was impossible to pay such a massive sum upfront.

But Leeds United's stance was crystal clear: no negotiations.

Gao Shen had already discussed this with Lucas and Borrell.

After the World Cup, Borrell personally flew to Paris to meet with Mbappé and his parents. He detailed Leeds United's development plan for the new season and outlined their commercial vision, offering the best terms the club could possibly provide.

Since Mbappé had yet to make a final decision, Leeds United refused to entertain any transfer offers from other clubs.

Van Dijk's case, however, was different.

Real Madrid had made several offers, but Leeds United had been unwilling to engage.

That was why José Sánchez personally called Gao Shen, hoping he could help move things along.

Gao Shen had agreed to arrange this meeting for that very reason.

Internally, Leeds United had already evaluated the situation. Van Dijk, now 27, was in his prime, but his value would only start to decline as he aged.

If they delayed further, the club risked seeing his price drop as his contract neared its end.

Once Van Dijk made it clear that he would not renew his contract, Leeds United would lose leverage in negotiations.

The best option was to sell him now, while his value was at its peak.

This would benefit both Leeds United and Van Dijk.

As for replacements, Ruben Dias was viewed as the natural successor. De Ligt and Militao were also capable, and veteran José Fonte provided valuable experience.

This central defensive lineup would be more than enough for the upcoming season.

Leeds United's stance on Van Dijk was firm: 150 million euros, non-negotiable.

…

When Gao Shen returned to the private room after ordering food, he overheard Lucas speaking.

"In the current European transfer market, look around. Can you buy a top-level central defender like Van Dijk for 100 million euros?" Lucas asked with a confident smile.

"I can tell you very clearly, it's impossible!"

After a short pause, Lucas added with a grin, "Real Madrid should learn from Chelsea's past experience."

Gao Shen almost laughed out loud.

Lucas's negotiation skills and psychological tactics had become sharp and shrewd.

What lesson was he referring to? Chelsea's failed pursuit of Ederson.

Back when Cech was aging, Chelsea urgently needed a successor in goal.

After Leeds United sold Navas to Paris Saint-Germain for a high fee, Ederson became the first-choice goalkeeper and performed brilliantly in both the Premier League and the Champions League.

Chelsea had long wanted him, negotiating in multiple transfer windows. The more they talked, the higher his price went. In the summer of 2017, Leeds United quoted 80 million euros, which scared Chelsea off.

The Blues hesitated for too long.

Unexpectedly, early in the following season, Manchester City's goalkeeper Neuer suffered a serious injury, sidelining him for the year.

Although it was outside the transfer window, Manchester City moved swiftly, contacting Leeds United about Ederson.

Chelsea realized the urgency and joined the bidding war.

After months of negotiations, Manchester City finally signed Ederson in December for a record-breaking 90 million euros.

City went on to win the Premier League, while Chelsea missed out on the Champions League.

And just this past summer, Chelsea, still haunted by their goalkeeper troubles, paid 80 million euros to sign Kepa from Athletic Bilbao—sparking ridicule from media and fans alike.

In 2017, they could have had Ederson for the same price, but a year later, they spent the same amount on Kepa.

Now, Lucas was using Chelsea's mistake to pressure Sánchez, implying that Real Madrid was not the only club eyeing Van Dijk.

Liverpool, flush with new funds, was also very interested.

Real Madrid could not afford to repeat Chelsea's error.

Leeds United's confidence came from the fact that there simply wasn't another center-back in Europe at Van Dijk's level.

If Real Madrid wanted the best, they had to pay for it.

And the best always came with the highest price tag.

…

Gao Shen knocked lightly, opened the door, and walked in, cutting the tension in the room.

"The food here's great. I ordered quite a few dishes for us to try," he said casually.

His timing helped ease the atmosphere immediately.

The conversation shifted naturally, drifting away from transfers and toward the International Champions Cup.

In recent years, the tournament had grown in popularity and profitability, attracting top clubs every summer.

Gao Shen even thought that if it weren't for the mask incident, the event could have become an annual pre-season classic. Unfortunately, it was canceled in his previous life because of the pandemic.

Sometimes Gao Shen wondered if such an incident would happen again in this world.

If he could choose, he would prefer a world without any epidemic.

Real Madrid had participated in the North American leg of the International Champions Cup for six straight years, which aligned perfectly with their commercial expansion strategy. As a result, Real Madrid was one of the most successful European clubs in the North American market.

At present, only Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and Leeds United had significant influence there.

This was largely due to Leeds United's unparalleled online presence, which even surpassed many traditional giants.

Over the years, Leeds United had worked tirelessly to convert online traffic into real commercial revenue. Two years ago, they officially launched a global sponsorship plan.

The results had been impressive, with commercial income growing rapidly year after year.

Sánchez was amazed by Leeds United's achievements but believed the club still had untapped potential. Whether in North America, Asia, especially China, or in the Middle East and Africa, Leeds United's fan base and visibility were massive.

That was the advantage of the internet.

Leeds United had another advantage: merchandise sales.

After Leeds United pioneered a new model of apparel sales, major sponsors like Adidas and Nike changed their contracts to prevent other clubs from copying it.

Now, as Leeds United's revenue from apparel continued to soar, other clubs could only watch with envy.

Leeds United didn't just sell jerseys and training kits. They expanded into casual wear and lifestyle apparel, breaking through the traditional ceiling of football merchandise sales.

For giants like Real Madrid and Manchester United, this created an awkward dilemma.

If they tried to follow Leeds United's model, their sponsors would reduce sponsorship fees. If they didn't, they had to watch Leeds United's business thrive from the sidelines.

In short, there was only one word for it: difficult.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1200: Defeat the Tycoon Real Madrid

On the way back to the hotel from the restaurant, Gao Shen had a clear understanding of how the negotiation between the two sides had gone.

He had to admit that Leeds United was now truly capable when it came to handling transfer market operations.

For instance, after Pepe's departure, Real Madrid currently only had two reliable central defenders: Varane and Ramos. Nacho was versatile but not a specialist, while Vallejo was still too young and inexperienced. Real Madrid urgently needed to bring in a top-level center-back.

Last season, Van Dijk had proven himself as the best central defender in European football while playing for Leeds United.

In terms of age and ability, he was the perfect fit for Real Madrid's needs.

Everything now depended on whether Real Madrid could meet Leeds United's asking price.

More importantly, there were very few top-class central defenders left in European football.

Take La Liga, for example. Sevilla had just sold their defender Lenglet to Barcelona for 45 million euros, which was 10 million more than expected.

Many people might wonder why.

The reason was simple: there was a shortage of quality center-backs.

You get what you pay for. The rarer and better the player, the higher the price.

"150 million euros. I believe Real Madrid will eventually accept this offer," Fernando Lucas said confidently.

That confidence came not only from understanding the market but also from reading both sides' psychology and having complete trust in his negotiation ability.

Gao Shen was impressed. If Van Dijk could really be sold for 150 million euros, the transfer market would go wild.

Of course, it wouldn't be too unrealistic.

In his previous life, back in 2018, Liverpool had reached the Champions League final and finished runners-up. Even without Premier League or FA Cup titles, Van Dijk's reported price had already soared to 200 million euros.

"Has the technical team evaluated whether our defense can hold up after selling Van Dijk?" Gao Shen asked with concern. That was something Leeds United had to take seriously.

"Don't worry, we've done the simulations," Borrell replied.

"From last season's performance, Ruben Dias played very well, and both De Ligt and Militao are extremely promising. They have great ability, so we believe the three of them can fill the gap left by Van Dijk next season."

Gao Shen was familiar with all three players from his previous life—he had personally recommended them. So, he naturally knew their quality.

He was asking mainly to confirm whether Leeds United had made a formal internal evaluation.

Although Leeds United had been selling players in recent years, every sale had been thoroughly planned in advance. That was one of Gao Shen's standing requirements for Borrell.

For example, they sold Navas because they already had Ederson ready. Later, Ederson was sold because Alisson had arrived. But this summer, when Chelsea offered 80 million euros for Alisson, Leeds United refused.

The reason was simple: they hadn't yet found a goalkeeper capable of replacing him.

Leeds United now had very high standards for every position.

This was also why young players like Fofana and Saliba were loaned out to Ligue 1 for development.

After all, at their age, they wouldn't get much game time at Leeds United.

The club couldn't afford to sacrifice results just to train inexperienced youngsters for years.

What the White Rose preferred were young players close to first-team level—like Ruben Dias, De Ligt, and Militao—who had the ability to become reliable starters after one or two seasons of polishing.

That was why Fofana and Saliba were both loaned out for three years.

Of course, exceptionally talented players like Vinicius were treated differently.

"By the way, I saw we signed a Croatian center-back named Joško Gvardiol this year. Is he good?" Gao Shen asked curiously.

He still remembered the player's difficult-to-pronounce name, which even sounded a bit like Guardiola's.

Borrell smiled. "I'm very optimistic about him."

After listening to Borrell's detailed explanation, Gao Shen realized that this was indeed a very talented young player.

Joško Gvardiol was the son of a fisherman. From childhood, he loved football. Humble yet confident, decisive yet intelligent, he played with an edge but also with awareness.

He had initially been a defensive midfielder, technically sound but not outstanding. Later, after switching to center-back, his potential exploded. A rare left-footed defender, he possessed both physicality and ball-playing ability.

"I guess you haven't been following Real Madrid's technical department closely this past year, have you?" Borrell asked with a grin.

Gao Shen shook his head. "There's been too much going on at the club. I don't have time for other things."

"That makes sense. Well, starting from last summer, I can tell you that nearly every major club in Europe sent scouts to watch him—Inter Milan, Juventus, Chelsea, Arsenal, plus several teams in La Liga, Bundesliga, and Ligue 1. They even reached out to his father. Inter Milan went as far as offering a one-million-euro signing bonus."

"Seriously?" Gao Shen was stunned.

That sounded unbelievable.

He was a top-level manager who had led Real Madrid, and yet he hadn't heard this name before. How could such a young player have caused such a stir?

"The competition for young players in Europe has become extremely fierce. Clubs jump in the moment a youngster shows potential," Borrell explained.

Gao Shen smiled bitterly, then quickly realized what that implied. "Then our youth academy must be under threat too."

"We've been targeted before, but we were prepared. It didn't cause any real problems," Borrell reassured him.

"So you're saying Gvardiol is truly that gifted?"

It was indeed remarkable for a 16-year-old to attract so many top clubs, with some even offering direct payments to his family.

"Our entire technical team believes that only injuries can stop him from becoming a world-class center-back."

Gao Shen nodded. He finally understood why Borrell had been so determined.

Considering how many big clubs were circling, Borrell must have worked hard to secure the signing.

"How did you manage to get him?"

Borrell grinned. "Our club's reputation for developing top central defenders helped. That was the key."

Gao Shen laughed. It was true. Leeds United had produced an impressive number of elite defenders in recent years.

"Also, several players in the current Croatian national team have close ties to Leeds United and to you," Borrell continued. "When I met him and his father, he asked me something funny."

"What was it?" Gao Shen asked.

Lucas chuckled before Borrell cleared his throat and imitated Gvardiol's tone. "Is Real Madrid's head coach Gao Shen really your boss?"

Gao Shen blinked in surprise.

Was this kid actually a fan of his?

"He said he hoped to play under you one day. He even mentioned Croatian internationals he admired, like Modric and Rakitic, who were both trained by you."

Gao Shen smiled. "When I get back to Leeds, I have to meet this kid."

"It didn't take much to convince him and his father," Borrell said. "He hadn't signed a professional contract with Dinamo Zagreb yet, so negotiations went smoothly. Still, I didn't want to leave him there. A player like him should be nurtured in our youth system."

Gao Shen understood perfectly.

Borrell had done an excellent job.

This incident also reflected how desperate European football had become for top talent. At just 15 years old, players like Gvardiol were already attracting intense bidding wars. Had he been a year older, his value would already be in the tens of millions.

Many fans and media often asked why Premier League giants like Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool always targeted Leeds United's players instead of finding and training young talents themselves.

The answer was simple.

The competition for young players had become brutal.

And more importantly, those Premier League giants lacked the comprehensive scouting and youth development systems that Leeds United had.

Having sat comfortably at the top of the football hierarchy for years, they hadn't needed to invest heavily in youth systems. If not for UEFA and FA regulations, some clubs might have abandoned youth training altogether.

Leeds United's players might be expensive, but at least they were proven in the Premier League and Champions League.

That was far more reliable than developing untested youngsters.

Chelsea, for instance, had invested heavily in players like Piazon and Zouma, but none had met expectations.

So, rather than raise their own, why not just buy Leeds United's finished products?

With that thought, Gao Shen felt reassured.

It turned out Lucas and Borrell had done an outstanding job.

"By the way, Fernando, I need to tell you something," Gao Shen said suddenly.

Lucas looked at him.

"Your judgment was right," Gao Shen said with a smirk. "Real Madrid is loaded with cash right now. Very loaded."

Lucas laughed. "I guessed as much."

The two exchanged knowing smiles.

It really did feel like a battle against the rich.

Real Madrid, being a membership-based club, wasn't allowed to show profits, but Florentino's financial team were masters at balancing the books.

In recent years, Real Madrid's annual revenues had grown rapidly, yet they still declared zero net profit.

Strange, wasn't it?

During Gao Shen's tenure, Real Madrid achieved incredible results without huge spending—most investments were in young players like Asensio, Ceballos, and Theo Hernández, which cost very little.

But now, Gao Shen was certain of one thing: if Mbappé cost 200 million euros and Van Dijk 150 million euros, Real Madrid could afford both without issue.

Of course, they wouldn't pay in full upfront. The deal would definitely be done in installments.

After all, Florentino still needed to reserve funds for renovating the Santiago Bernabéu.

(To be continued.)